Systems Integrator Parlays Managed Access into Portfolio

Managed access services are a value add for our customers, said Tom Szell, vice president of ADS Security in Nashville.

Managed access will definitely be a growth market in security in the coming years, and ADS Security (ADS), Nashville, is stepping into it in a big way.

ADS Security recently announced the addition of ADS SecureDoor™ to their expanding portfolio of security solutions. The product combines physical access control with state-of-the-art systems and software remotely managed from the company’s award-winning, UL-listed and CSAA Five-Diamond Certified Central Station in Nashville.

The Web-based Software as a Service solution was a natural fit for our customers, according to Tom Szell, vice president.

“Our customers were looking for ways in which they could use their access control systems to save time and money and also increase efficiencies. Existing customers just love it and it’s perfect for single and multi-door applications. With ADS SecureDoor they turn what might have been frustration over event and data management into an asset. They gain full control of their facility, without the problem associated with onsite systems,” he said. Szell said ADS handles all the adds/deletes/changes and other management of access control systems such as card creation for the customer via Web-based software it hosts in its central monitoring facility.

Managed access in security comes in two distinct forms. One way, it can be managed onsite with server-based systems in which the end-user is responsible for administration 24/7. The other way is the way in which ADS is implementing the solution—they tailor, manage and administer it for the facility and the end-user. Users do have the ability to log on remotely to check system status and other parameters but cannot make changes.

“Companies with onsite server-based access control viewed their systems as more of a frustration rather than an asset,” he continued. “There were problems with hardware and software costs and maintenance, the inability to activate or deactivate a card 24/7, staffing issues and a failure to backup data. The ADS SecureDoor solution solves all of these issues.”

The ADS Central Station provides expert remote system management, support and maintenance, including assigning access levels, arming and disarming access cards, scheduling door locks and unlocks, managing user profiles and performing data updates and backups. It also provides value-added benefits, such as off-site storage and backup of critical data, better control of access cards and the ability to lock or unlock doors remotely during off hours.

According to ADS the system reduces total cost of ownership because it eliminates the need for hardware, software, support personnel and processes by the end-user. It tracks and records the movement of employees and visitors in a facility around the clock. “The reality is that property managers aren’t onsite or end-users don’t have the time or resources to manage access control on their own, and that often takes away from the full benefit of the solution,” Szell said. “We’re available 365 days a year. Our message is: ‘let us do it; we’re the experts,’” he said. Founded in 1989, ADS currently serves some 70,000 businesses, industrial facilities and residences throughout the southeastern United States.